A New Path

"You think we'll find anything here? To me, this just seems like a big waste of time. Those damn pirates are being crowned emperors by the public and here we are chasing some old man that we know nothing about." Strawberry said with annoyance to Momonga that was standing at the front of the marines warship next to his own.

"It's not our job to say what's more important. And don't forget this old man you're referring to knocked out Sakazuki with a single punch." Momonga answered back with a neutral tone. He knew better than to question his orders.

"When you become an admiral, then you can start telling them what you think is important." Momonga and strawberry watched the island carefully. They were some of the strongest above Rear admirals that the marines could afford to send here without losing manpower against the New world pirates.

"There's movement. Momonga you seeing that?" Strawberry and Momonga were both watching an old man walk out from the jungle and stopping at the spot where their sh.i.p.s would eventually dock.

"Is that him? He is not dressed like the reports said, but everything else fits. The moustache and the height. I believe we found our target." Strawberry said, but Momonga didn't answer him.

"Let's go. He obviously knew we would come. Let's go have a chat." Momonga disappeared from the spot and Strawberry followed. They were not that far from the island, so both of them stepped onto the island with Soru quickly after disappearing from the sh.i.p.s.

"Welcome to my island gentlemen. To what do I owe the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e?" Ginrei said and smiled at the duo that appeared before him.

"We are on orders to investigate you and your pirate group. I don't suppose you would be so kind as to let us cuff you right here?" Momonga said while he had one hand on his sword.

"That wouldn't be very fun, now would it," Ginrei said and lost his smile. He went back to a neutral look while standing in a relaxed posture.

"Mind explaining what the Gotei 13 really is? Any chance that you can work with the marines?" Strawberry took a shot in the dark with that question.

"That would probably not help your image, now would it."

"And why is that?" Strawberry pressed while almost drawing his sword. The aura Ginrei was naturally releasing was almost too much for him to handle.

"I am the 5th Pirate emperor of the New World," Ginrei said with a smile, this one is a lot more evil-looking than the last.

"Are you serious. You think you have the strength to declare yourself an emperor just like that?!" Strawberry was outraged because of this old man standing before him.

"I would think so!" Ginrei said and took a single step forward.

The duo was about to draw their swords when they heard something explode behind them. Both of them looked back and saw Momonga's warship cut in half from the front to the back. Strawberry suddenly felt a heavy killing intent looming over his head and looked back to find the old man missing.

"Never take your eye of the enemy."

"WHA..." A sword appeared a cut the head of Strawberry before he could finish saying his "what".

"You bastard!" Momonga dashed at Ginrei in an attempt to cut his body with a downward slash.

"Playtimes over." Ginrei turned around faster then Momonga's eyes could track and caught the sword in mid-air with just two fingers.

"How!? I used haki!" Momonga had no words. Even an admiral couldn't do what he just did.

"Go back and tell Sengoku and Kong to prepare a welcome party for a few of the commanders in my fleet." Ginrei grabbed Momonga by the throat and threw him back to his ship.

"And have a nice day!" Ginrei said loud enough for Momonga to hear even when he was flying in mid-air back to his ship.

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Yo, Toshi! I just got a message from the Head Captain." Lubbock said to a very annoyed Toshiro.

"Stop calling me that. My name is Toshiro!!" He almost wanted to pull out his sword and kill his brother.

"Fine, you bore. So you wanna hear what the message is?" Lubbock said in an excited tone.

"OBVIOUSLY!" Toshiro yelled back to him. For some reason, their islands never separated and they couldn't steer away from each other. So they had to live next to each other essentially. Right now they were on Lubbock's island and eating dinner.

"Apparently. the Head Captain wants the Gotei 13 to become a pirate fleet. He is apparently going to be the 5th pirate emperor and we are his division commanders. He has a mission regarding this." Lubbock said and Toshiro finally looked interested in something.

"Oh, so why did he pick to become an emperor?"

"I don't know. The message didn't say anything about that. But he wants us to go and wreak havoc at marineford with Byakuya." Lubbock said and his excitement couldn't be hidden. He longed for a good fight and he was sure that the fleet commander would provide it.

"hm, well tell Byakuya to come here. We are closer to Marineford then he is right now." Toshiro said and stood up to walk away.

"Fine. How does it feel to go from marine to pirate, Toshi?" Lubbock said and then he had to immediately dodge a sword strike from his brother.

"Shut up and call Byakuya here!" Toshiro said and sheathed his sword

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End